Different
by LunaPadma
Summary: They're too different, it would never work between them.


I read bad romance novels. I have a thing for Taylor Lautner and Tom Felton. I burn easily. I like plants and gardening.

He reads 'the Encyclopedia of Immaturity'. He has a thing for Megan Fox and Catherine Zeta-Jones. He tans like a dream. He likes whoopee cushions and breaking the rules.

I'm Katie Gardner.

And he's Travis Stoll.

_~T*R*A*T*I*E~_

I read Twilight. I have a thing for Taylor Swift and American Idol. I can barely swim. I'm immature and stupid.

She reads Romeo and Juliet. She has a thing for Led Zeppelin and Wipeout. She's a trained lifeguard. She's beautiful and intelligent.

I'm Travis Stoll.

And she's Katie Gardner.

_~T*R*A*T*I*E~_

I sit down at the Demeter table with my bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Travis Stoll goofing off with his brother, Connor. I focus on the bowl of cereal in front of me and pretend like I don't see that Aphrodite girl flirting with him.

But what can I do? I'm plain old Katie Gardner.

And he's sex god Travis Stoll.

_~T*R*A*T*I*E~_

I watch her sit at the Demeter table. I pretend like I'm listening to my brother, when in truth, I'm admiring her from afar. I can see that Connor's exasperated, but, unless you're Percy Jackson, blood is thicker than water and you don't just turn on your brother.

Henna stares at me, making me feel vaguely uncomfortable. She knows that I don't like her and she does this to give me a hard time. I wish I had the courage to ask out Katie.

But I can't. Because I'm goof-off Travis Stoll.

And she's gorgeous Katie Gardner.

_~T*R*A*T*I*E~_

I yell at him for decorating our cabin roof, although I think it's clever, because my cabin's watching and I can't reveal my crush. He laughs at me and I wish I could laugh along, but I can't. He tells me to "lighten up, Gardner," and I wish I could, but I can't. I tell him to never mess with our cabin again because I know where he sleeps at night, although I want to say, "Marry me, I love you!" He backs away, laughing, and says I need to learn to take a joke. I wish I could agree, but I can't.

Because I'm stick-in-the-mud Katie Gardner.

And he's wild child Travis Stoll.

_~T*R*A*T*I*E~_

I do it because it's the only exchange we have, where she screams at me and I pretend like I don't care, when in truth, after this, I'll probably go home and sulk, which is _such_ a girly thing to do.

She tells me I'm a waste of space and that I should throw myself into Tartarus, see if I can bond with Kronos like Luke did. I force a laugh and tell her to lighten up. She tells me that we should leave her cabin alone because she knows where we sleep at night. I wish I could tell her that I did it because it's the only way she'll notice me and I'm madly in love with her but I can't because I'm a chicken.

You know, Connor and I always fancied ourselves like the Weasley twins. Only I wouldn't get into Gryffindor.

Because I'm cowardly Travis Stoll.

And she's stand-up-for-what-I-believe-in Katie Gardner.

_~T*R*A*T*I*E~_

When Will Solace asks me out, I actually cannot say anything. I thought you were only speechless in movies when people asked you out.

It wasn't because Will Solace was the most eligible bachelor in camp, that was Travis Stoll, but he was pretty handsome, with that blond hair that was all shaggy and messed up, and piercing blue eyes. It was always said that Hermes boys were good for a fling, but Apollos made the best boyfriends. I said yes, because I thought that maybe if I had a boyfriend, I would forget about my hopeless crush.

It doesn't work.

Because I'm can't-let-a-thing-go Katie Gardner.

And he's I-only-date-the-best Travis Stoll.

_~T*R*A*T*I*E~_

When I see his arm around her, I inadvertently crush the can of Coke I'm holding. My brother takes a step back as it splashes all over him. "Dude," he says. "What's wrong?" Then he sees Solace with his arm around her and Connor smirks. "So whipped," he chortles. Without looking at my idiotic brother, I form my hand into a fist and punch him in the arm.

I watch angrily as Solace leans over and kisses her. She tangles her hand in his idiotic blond hair I just want to shave off and force him to eat. Connor is enjoying watching me watch them. I can tell. So, being the moron that he is, he cups his hands around his mouth and yells, "PDA! PDA! GET A ROOM! PDA!"

My brother pats me on the back and disappears.

Gee, thanks, little bro, thanks.

Katie Gardner comes storming over. She's pretty when she's mad. I wish I could tell her that, but I can't.

Because I'm can't-talk-to-my-crush Travis Stoll.

And she's cool-as-can-be Katie Gardner.

_~T*R*A*T*I*E~_

I hear Connor yell, "PDA!" I know this is Connor and not Travis, because 1) despite what my third-grade teacher said, I'm not stupid and 2) Travis's voice is deeper.

But I go over to where Travis is standing because I need to be there, in his presence, which makes me sound like such a clingy girlfriend, which I'm _not_, I swear. He's looking at me oddly.

"Travis-" I begin, but he cuts me off.

"Look, you and I both know I _didn't _say it, so just leave me alone for once. Gods, why can't you just lay off me?" Travis explodes.

I can't move. His words freeze me to my spot, another thing that I thought just happened in B-rated movies.

Will comes up beside me and puts his arm around my waist. "Katie, baby, you don't have to listen to him-" he says soothingly, before being cut off.

"And you! Zeus only knows how fake you are! You are shallow and fake and the only reason you're dating her is because you're in denial that you're gay, so just LEAVE!"

_~T*R*A*T*I*E~_

I stand there, breathing heavily. There. I've said it. Everything bottled up has been said, except, "Mom, see a psychiatrist, you're crazy." Which, considering my mom's been dead for a while, would be pointless.

I look at Katie, and I see her eyes brimming with tears. Suddenly, it hits me, what I've done, like a train wreck. I think that was really girly, too, wasn't it?

"Oh, Katie, I'm so sorry-" I start, but she doesn't let me finish.

"Yeah, I'm sorry too. I'm sorry that I wasted _years_ of my life pining after you. And I'll never get that back. No force on this earth that will restore that time. Funny, huh?" She smiles a watery smile.

_~T*R*A*T*I*E~_

I wish I could've kept _some_ semblance of pride in that encounter, but, because life and my mother hate me, I don't.

Travis looks weird, like someone just kissed him. He takes a step towards me, but Will intercepts him. "You've upset her enough," he growls. "Just leave her alone."

You know, people always romanticize the concept of two guys fighting over you. I doubt any girl has not had, at one point, a daydream about two guys fighting over her. Well, trust me, it's not that romantic. It's more along the lines of _'HOLY ZEUS! THOSE TWO ARE GONNA KILL EACH OTHER! WHY IS NOBODY SEPARATING THEM? WHY CAN'T I MOVE?' _Something like that.

Travis laughs once. "She doesn't even like you!" he says.

Will growls out, "Leave her alone."

"What are you gonna do about it?" Travis taunts.

"Get away, or else."

Travis considers this. Then he cocks his fist and punches Will, right in the nose. He sidesteps Will's angry retaliation and puts his arms around me.

_~T*R*A*T*I*E~_

I lean down and press my lips to hers. For a moment, she doesn't do anything but then she began to kiss back…

Now look, unless I swallow a thesaurus and start barfing up words like Stephenie Meyer, I can't exactly describe the kiss, so I'm not even going to try. But I'll just tell you this: it was amazing. It might be the best kiss of all time. It was definitely the best kiss I've ever had.

"Is it too early to tell you I love you?" I ask.

Katie laughed. "You tell me."

"I love you."

"Right back at you."


End file.
